DVLA Enforces New Penalties: Fines for Tinted Windows and Missing Vehicle Accessories Begin

The Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has begun full enforcement of a new penalty regime targeting roadworthiness violations, including the use of unapproved tinted windows. The implementation, originally scheduled for May, was postponed to allow a month-long public education campaign.

Under the revised enforcement plan, motorists who fail to meet basic vehicle safety requirements will face stiffer penalties. One such change includes an increase in fines for missing vehicle accessories—from the previous GHS 45 to GHS 225.

Ashanti Regional Manager of the DVLA, Jerry Aflabo, explained that the updated penalties are designed to enhance road safety for both drivers and passengers.
“This was supposed to start in May, but we wanted to complement enforcement with education. So we used last month to raise awareness among drivers,” he told journalist Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe during a visit to the Kumasi Business Unit of the Multimedia Group.

Drivers are now expected to carry essential safety accessories such as fire extinguishers, warning triangles, and reflectors. The DVLA also reiterated that tinted windows are prohibited unless they comply with specific transparency standards.

Referencing Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (Section 67, Sub-regulations 3 and 4), Mr. Aflabo noted: “Drivers are not allowed to use tinted windscreens, and any other glass on the vehicle must have a light transmittance of at least 70 percent.”

He stressed that the ban on heavily tinted windows is a matter of public safety.
“It’s for their security. Imagine being robbed at night—if the windows are tinted, no one can see or help you. We understand privacy concerns, but safety must come first,” he said.

Motorists are being urged to comply with the new measures or face strict penalties, as the DVLA steps up efforts to ensure safer roads across the country.